Welcome to the new 2014-2015 school year. We have some exciting new things happening here at VCS.

The new minimum day schedule on Wednesday from 9:00-1:00. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday release time for grades 1-8 will be at 3:40 PM.

Our kindergarten schedule will begin with minimum days from 9:00-1:00 every day through the Thanksgiving Break. Kindergarten students will have lunch on site beginning on the first day of school. Upon returning from the Thanksgiving holiday, the Kindergarten day will be extended to 1:50 PM, with the exception of Wednesdays when they will be released at 1:00.

In closing, I want to thank all of you for your support of our school. At VCS we pride ourselves on modeling our Design Principles. In the spirit of diversity and inclusion I look forward to welcoming our new families and reconnecting with our current families.

Welcome to the Vallejo Charter School Website. Vallejo Charter School (VCS) is a Kindergarten – 8th Grade public charter school. The Vallejo Charter School is a community-based education project initiated by parents and community members. Our overriding goal is to provide an additional choice and educational opportunity for Vallejo families. The educational program is designed so that children of various learning styles and abilities will thrive in a child centered, experiential, and active learning environment, that embraces the whole child. The curriculum is based on the Expeditionary Learning Schools (ELS) Design Principles and Core Practices and Benchmarks.

Our relationship with VCUSD is highly collaborative; VCS operates as a school of the district. VCS is the first K-8, Expeditionary Learning public charter school in our district. It focuses on a culture of mutual respect and teamwork, fostering a love of learning, diversity and inclusion, and an expectation of high achievement for all of our students.

For information about enrollment for the 2014-15 school year, please contact the VCS office at 707-556-8620.

VCS Parents! Learn about the VCS parent survey results and discuss the proposed new EL high school/9th grade at a VCS community meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 6:00pm in the MPR. Don’t miss this chance to weigh in on two important topics. Both of these projects are moving quickly at the District level, so come make your voice heard while you can!

The state’s new Local Control Funding Formula gives VCS more control over our funding. As such, VCS is developing a Local Control Accountability Plan, which will guide the way we spend our increased funding under the new funding formula.

This is a great opportunity for you to give your input on our school and what is important to you and your family.

A group of VCS parents and staff have created an online survey for parent input. You can access the survey here: Vallejo Charter School Family Survey is Now Closed

In addition computers are available in our library all day this week for your use in completing the survey. One hour of volunteer time is available for taking the survey. Your input matters. Take the survey this week!

Survey results will be shared and discussed at upcoming parent meetings later this month.

Each family at VCS is expected to perform a minimum of 20 hours per school year. This policy is outlined in the VCS Parent/Caregiver/Family Involvement Plan. There are many ways to volunteer at VCS and opportunities are posted regularly in Blue Notes in Thursday folders. All volunteer hours must be completed by the 2nd Monday in April. Families log their hours in the grade level log books located in the VCS office. Hours should be logged on the oldest child’s page.

Please consult the VCS Parent/Caregiver/Family Involvement Plan 2013 for details about important dates and the volunteer guidelines at VCS. Please check Blue Folders for volunteer needs at VCS. If you have any questions or comments about volunteer hours or need assistance finding a way to earn volunteer hours, please contact Family Volunteer Lead Sarah Kirley at kirleys3@att.net.

Top 12 Frequently Asked Questions about Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
1. Will transitional kindergarten (TK) be mandatory for children with birthdays between November 2 and December 2?
Just like Kindergarten, transitional Kindergarten enrollment will be voluntary.

2. How is TK different from preschool?
The standards, curriculum and teaching requirements in transitional kindergarten will be different from preschool. Transitional kindergarten will be part of the K-12 public education system and it will be based on the kindergarten standards. It will build on the skills children may have learned in preschool to ensure they will be able to begin kindergarten with confidence.

3. How is TK different from traditional kindergarten?
Although the curriculum in transitional kindergarten will be based on the kindergarten standards, it will be modified to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of younger children. The transitional kindergarten environment will include more opportunities for social-emotional, language development and communication through dramatic play; small group instruction; and intentional teaching through hands-on activities.

4. How long is a typical TK day?
Transitional kindergarten will be the same number of minutes per day as traditional kindergarten.

5. Will TK provide support for children who do not speak English?
English learners in transitional kindergarten will have the same level of services as those in kindergarten.

6. Will TK be free or will I have to qualify based on income?
Transitional kindergarten will be free and open to all age-eligible children.

7. What kinds of qualifications will TK teachers have?
Transitional kindergarten teachers will be required to have a teaching credential, just like kindergarten teachers.

8. How will this affect children in special education?
Districts will be required to offer the same services to transitional kindergarteners with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) as they currently offer to children in kindergarten.

9. What grade will children go into after TK?
Transitional kindergarten is the first year of a two-year kindergarten experience. Most children will go on to kindergarten after completing transitional kindergarten, however some children may move to first grade based on the District’s criteria for promotion.

10. Will children with birthdays between September 2 and November 1 be eligible for TK this year?
Transitional kindergarten will be open to students with Sept and October birthdays. Because these children are also eligible for traditional kindergarten in 2012-13, parents will be required to sign a Kindergarten Continuation Form.

11. Where will TK be offered?
At this time we do not have enough eligible transitional kindergarteners to provide a class at each elementary school. Locations will be determined by enrollment numbers and available space. That information will be available by June.

12. How and where can I enroll my child in TK?
Registration is now open for the 2012-13 school year. Please register your child at your neighborhood school. You will need the following documentation in order to enroll a new student: an up-to-date record of immunization; an original birth certificate (or certified copy, passport, hospital registration of birth; immigration Visa; proof of address, for example current utility bill lease agreement, current insurance documents or close of escrow documents.

What are the Common Core State Standards? The CCSS are a set of internationally benchmarked K-12 educational standards which:

Ensure every student’s college and career readiness in English language arts and mathematics.

Increase rigor and critical thinking demands in every school.

Provide clarity and consistency for what all students need to know oncethey graduate from high school.

Within the next year, all of California’s materials, testing, and instruction will be aligned to these standards.

Assessment Changes: This year the California Standards Test (CST or STAR progam) has ended, and the Common Core Tests are being piloted- your child will take a comon core assesessment, but we will not receive test scores. These tests come from the Smarter Balance organization. You can see samples and get more information at http;//www.smarterbalanced.org/

In May, the Vallejo City Unified School District will administer a “STAR-like” assessment in order to provide data to parents and teachers that can be reported out. Later this spring we will let you know exactly how this data will be reported out to you.

Grade Level Workshops: In order to provide you with more detailed information on some of the shifts in instruction and learning that CCSS will bring to VCS and to your child’s classroom(s) we invite you to attend a CCSS workshop led by our teachers.

These workshops will take place on Tuesday, March 18th from 6:00 to 6:30PM for families of second and third grade students. Workshops will take place in the classroom. For families of fourth through eighth grade students the workshops will be on Wednesday, March 19th from 6:00 to 7:00PM. They too will occur in the classroom. The Kindergarten and first grade workshop will be scheduled for early April.

These workshops will allow teachers to present in more detail some of the changes the common core will bring. You will have a chance to ask questions and pick up additional resources.

Please look for further information/detail here, in classroom newsletters and in your child’s blue folder on Thursdays.

If you would like more information now, there are a multitude of resources for families online. You may like to view this short video at : www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/tl/whatareccss.asp

We look forward to seeing you at all the workshops. You will receive more details very soon.

The VCS community is busy raising funds for our Arts, Dance and Art Elective programs. Our program is only $150 per student per YEAR! That’s $15 per month, $0.50 per day. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help keep our wonderful and unique art program!